Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Carpenter has a one hitter through 2. Looks like we have another quality start in the...wait for it....Brewing. In baseball's version of the "Bud Bowl" the boys in red have had quite the advantage. The Brewers, one of MLB's bottom feeders when it comes to payroll, can't expect to continue to shell out peanuts and expect to field a regularly competitive ball club. The Cardinals, on the other hand are near the top when it comes to payroll, although significantly lower than your Yankees or Red Sox types. With the Cardinal's off to their best start since 82 one begins to wonder if they can surpass last years wonderful 100+ win season. I expect good things. Reasons they won't surpass it:

the always present injury bug (see Izzy for more details)

Bullpen questions

luke warm bats

But are those real questions? Are those real doubts that are unique to the Redbirds? Hardly. With a low OBP and BA one might question the bats. But who are they kidding. Its just a matter of time before things really get going. 6 hits through 3 innings is a good start. Any team is in danger of the injury bug. And if the rotation continues to get quality starts...what bullpen questions?

Reasons they will:

Healthy (for now)

Mulder, Morris, Carpenter appear to be firing on all cylinders

Quality from Suppan, Marquis

Strong Bats (formidable lineup, top to bottom)

"I've got a good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it."

Friday, April 15, 2005

The best stuff in this article is near the bottom. So don't start reading, get bored and leave, UNTIL you read the bottom.

With a host of possible problems, Mulder, Rolen, Julian, et.al., one has to worry--even the most positive. I'm not talking lying awake at night or even having nightmares, but when you sit down to write about "your team" you feel...unsettled. 3-4 and just a few quality starts. What are you supposed to feel--happy? Hardly. I suppose someone will hollar that I should be grateful that we did pull out a couple that we SHOULD have lost. No...that only makes me feel worse. Thanks for bringing it up, Einstein.

But WAIT! Let's not forget the fact that at the end of May the Cardinals were merely 4 games over .500.

Ahh I feel better now.

Don't you?

On an entirely different note. QUICK! In the next minute think of all the negative interactions between Cards fans and any visiting opponent. QUICK! In the next 10 seconds think of negative encounters in Yankees vs. Red Sox. Which one is did you come up with the most? Let me know what you think. I for one know that there are some great Yankee and Red Sox fans out there. But ratio-wise, why is it that there is an abundance of bad ones for this rivalry? (And I even read a blog trying to say the fan DIDN'T take a swing at him. He claimed that he hasn't seen a replay that shows an attack definitively. Apparently he needs to adjust his rabbit ears and turn on ESPN). I want to know how Veritek got a triple when a fan actually hit a player. And the guy was SIMPLY EJECTED. No prosecution!

The biggest hating I've ever personally seen by the Cardinals faithful was vs. my favorite Cardinal of all time (then Giant) Will Clark. But the hating on him because of his hard slide into Oquendo (before the coaching days) could hardly be counted as "an incident." Plus things sure seemed forgiven after an amazing finish to his career in St. Louis. I believe Will holds the record for most curtain calls per Cardinal at-bat. (No, I didn't look that up).

Did we have any streakers during Mac's run? But that is a different type altogether.

In 10 seconds I could think of 4 at Fenway and that's just thinking of the past two years. I'm sure people with better memories could easily think of more. And I'm not even talking about between the players. There is something there in that rivalry that I am glad doesn't exist in the Cubs vs. Cards. Some may say that the other rivalry is better, because it is more intense. Personally, I don't think so. I love going to Bush and seeing the Cubs hats. I love seeing Fred Bird atop the faithful that visit Wrigley.

fortunately, there are tons of great fans in that NE rivalry, and they FAR OUTNUMBER the slack-jawed morons that pull stunts like the other night. But pound for pound seems like the NE has more than their fair share.

Friday, April 08, 2005

I'm sure it wasn't what Mulder had hoped for, but I am sure that we'll take a win any way we can get it. With 4 ER through 6 innings, Mulder was good enough to hand it over to Reyes and Izzy. Reyes did give up a couple of BBs but 3 strikeouts in 2 innings makes me pleased. Izzy gives up two BB and gets 2 K's. I'll take it.

Question of the day: Are you comfortable handing the ball off to Reyes in a close one in the late innings? I'm not--yet.

"Am I some clown here to amuse you?" After watching Scarface and Goodfellas back to back I have to say...wow that was depressing. I think I'll watch The Jerk again.

Our bullpen looks weak. I'm not going to try and make it sound good. Many have tried to put a spin on things especially about Tavarez. He had a DISASTROUS end of the season last year. And was not impressed with his FIRST game back. His second game back-- not so much either. I think I might need to change the name of my blog to "I hope I'm wrong but...."

I digress...its only the second game of the season. Has last year changed your expectations? Let me know what you think. I know that for me, I think I might have too high of expectations. Is it out of the question to EXPECT 100+ again?

So here it is: 101 w's. Division crown and World Series appearance. Feel free to call me on it.

Rick passed waivers. Good thing. He looks promising at the plate. He's still young. Here's wishing him well. Promise: Unless Ricky makes it to the bigs you will not here me talk about him anymore.

Cubs look nice and suspect. Yeah I know....that's old news. I just like saying it. Here's wishing them healthy. I NEVER want to win cause of something tragic.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

Our bullpen looks weak. I'm not going to try and make it sound good. Many have tried to put a spin on things especially about Tavarez. He had a DISASTROUS end of the season last year. And was not impressed with his FIRST game back. His second game back-- not so much either. I think I might need to change the name of my blog to "I hope I'm wrong but...."

I digress...its only the second game of the season. Has last year changed your expectations? Let me know what you think. I know that for me, I think I might have too high of expectations. Is it out of the question to EXPECT 100+ again?

So here it is: 101 w's. Division crown and World Series appearance. Feel free to call me on it.

Rick passed waivers. Good thing. He looks promising at the plate. He's still young. Here's wishing him well. Promise: Unless Ricky makes it to the bigs you will not here me talk about him anymore.

Cubs look nice and suspect. Yeah I know....that's old news. I just like saying it. Here's wishing them healthy. I NEVER want to win cause of something tragic.Lots of "here's wishing." "Kitten Juggling!" LOLOL My first time seeing The Jerk.